Free Range Hymns

"Delivering far more than strophic repetition, Sopa Sol’s arrangements open cinematic soundscapes, paying tribute to the past while inviting the ancestors to a once-forbidden dance. With sturdy vocals, the production work features an instrument-forward mix that pays off as the strong instrumental work opens space alternately contemplative and mischievous yet somehow of a whole." –Bradley Kauffman

"What Bontrager, Miller and Snider have done is to create a freshness that is derived from their congregational experiences, their understandings of what music can do to/for singers and players and listeners, and their broad experiences in the musics of the world." –Ken J. Nafziger

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Arrangements and Improvisations:
The hymns of this album are from our shared upbringing in Mennonite traditions. Cultural and religious practices vary greatly among Mennonite communities, yet they have a common Anabaptist (Protestant Christian) heritage—and a long history of singing together, conventionally unaccompanied and in 4-part harmony. For many Mennonites, one of the most enduring and compelling parts of their heritage is the singing. Singing together connects us.

Instruments were considered “worldly” or even sinful in Mennonite communities until relatively recently—the late 20th century. As instrumentalists and singers, we wish both to honor the 4-part singing tradition and to appreciate the expanded palette of sounds—and the impact—that instruments offer.